Every year, more than 62 million Americans ages 12 and older report abusing illicit drugs. This has brought about a public health crisis, driven by myriad illegal substances. These include abuse of methamphetamine and even prescription drugs like dexamphetamine.
Methamphetamine and dexamphetamine are very similar but occupy unique places in our society. They both can be very dangerous but in distinct ways.
This article explains the differences between methamphetamine vs. dexamphetamine. It will help you understand the impacts each of these substances has on the body, including withdrawal symptoms.
All this will help you get a better sense of what recovery from each entails. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is Methamphetamine?
Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant that works on the central nervous system. It is extremely addictive.
Meth works by releasing large amounts of reuptake neurotransmitters in the brain’s “reward center.” These include dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. This results in extreme alertness and euphoria.
Meth was first developed in the late 19th century. Its parent drug, amphetamine, was used as a nasal decongestant and in bronchial inhalers. During World War II, soldiers were given methamphetamine to help keep them awake and alert during arduous campaigns.
Methamphetamine has various street names, including the diminutive “meth” as well as “ice” and, most often, “crystal meth.” These relate to meth’s typical appearance, which resembles glass, ice, or crystals.
Meth can also come in powder form or be ground up. It can be taken by mouth, snorted, or injected. The most common way drug users take meth is by heating it and inhaling the vapors.
What Is Dexamphetamine?
Dexamphetamine is a lesser-known legal stimulant. It is often prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy. It can help improve concentration, hyperactivity, and impulse control.
Dexamphetamine works in a similar way that meth does, only on a very diminished scale. It helps prompt the creation of neurotransmitters in the brain, which can be useful for people whose natural protection of them is lacking.
Dexamphetamine usually comes as a small, white tablet, although it is sometimes found in capsule form. Often, it gets prescribed in extended-release capsules. This has the dual purpose of prolonging the positive impacts while lessening the chances of euphoria that can lead to addiction.
As a prescription, patients take dexamphetamine by mouth. However, like meth, people abusing the drug can crush it up so it can be snorted or injected.
Dexamphetamine affects people in different ways. Like meth, it can become habit-forming, especially if it is abused.
Often, dexamphetamine can be a “gateway drug” for meth use. Since it created similar effects, someone abusing dexamphetamine is more likely to turn to meth, especially if access to the medication becomes limited.
Side effects of dexamphetamine include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Headache and dizziness are common as well.
Dexamphetamine use can lead to other, more serious health conditions. These include increased heart rate and blood pressure, as well as heart palpitations. In some cases, users experienced loss of appetite, insomnia, depression, and extreme irritability.
You can overdose on dexamphetamine. This can entail some combination of shortness of breath, elevated heart rate, and seizures.
People have experienced delusions or hallucinations after taking too much dexamphetamine. They also are more prone to an increased incidence of self-harm, including suicide.
Methamphetamine vs. Dexamphetamine
Methamphetamine and dexamphetamine are two different types of drugs with distinct effects. Here are the main differences to consider:
Legality and Potential for Abuse
One of the key differences between methamphetamine vs dexamphetamine is that meth is illegal and dangerous to use even once. That is because it is produced in clandestine laboratories using very toxic substances. For this reason, there is no way to be certain of the dosage you are getting or if it has been cut with other dangerous drugs, such as fentanyl.
Meth is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, since it has a higher potential for misuse. The manufacturing, possession, or distribution of meth are all illegal in the United States.
Dexamphetamine, in prescribed amounts, is legal. Keep in mind that it can still pose dangers and become habit-forming, especially if it is abused.
Also, it can be dangerous to mix dexamphetamine–even in its prescribed dosage–with other substances, including alcohol. This can increase the likelihood of existing side effects and produce some added ones as well.
Withdrawal
Since meth creates such powerful floods of dopamine in the brain, it is both psychologically and physically addictive. In short, your body wants to recreate the experience.
Your body also starts to get used to the rush of dopamine produced by the substance. The brain comes to rely on it, resulting in anhedonia, or the inability to feel pleasure from everyday experiences. Whenever meth use stops, the body does not know why and reacts in negative ways.
Withdrawing from drugs like meth can be intense and last for days, weeks, or even months. The severity and duration depend on how much meth the person took on their last use and how long it was abused before stopping.
Common symptoms of meth withdrawal include fatigue, irritability, and anxiety. Some people experience the abrupt onset of chills, insomnia, and the inability to think clearly.
In more serious cases, individuals might experience dysphoria. This also can progress to clinical depression and suicidal tendencies, if not addressed.
If you are taking dexamphetamine as prescribed, side effects should be minimal or non-existent. In fact, many people using the prescription, including children, do not take it every day. They may hold off on weekends, or other times when focus is less necessary, and they rarely experience withdrawal symptoms.
Taking beyond the prescribed dose of dexamphetamine is another story. As a result, it can bring about dependence and similar withdrawal side effects as those associated with meth, including severe cravings.
Recovery
Almost all meth addiction requires some type of professional intervention. Even with short-term use, withdrawal side effects, including cravings, can be quite pronounced.
Rehabilitation can provide therapy and medications to help diminish the impact of withdrawal. It can also offer coping mechanisms for addressing the underlying causes of addiction.
Addiction to dexamphetamine, while usually less severe than meth, can be serious and demand interventions as well. This all depends on the extent and duration of the addiction. If in-patient care is warranted, it is usually for a shorter time than treatment plans for meth addiction.
Methamphetamine and Dexamphetamine Treatment: What Does It Entail?
Most meth and dexamphetamine treatment regimens begin with a detox period. The goal is to allow your body to expel the substances and begin returning to a state of normalcy. This can take anywhere from several days to many weeks, or longer.
In severe cases, medically assisted detox may be necessary. This allows medical staff to monitor your vitals while your body goes through withdrawal.
Note that simply because the detox period has concluded does not mean that cravings or other withdrawal symptoms will stop. It only means that your body no longer craves the drug in order to function.
The next part of recovery will involve some combination of personal, group, family, or other types of therapies. In a quality rehabilitation program, individual therapy almost always involves cognitive-behavioral therapy. The goal is to address the underlying causes of addiction.
Group therapy, including 12-step programs, can also play an important role in recovery. These allow you to gain knowledge from the experiences of people who have dealt with similar addiction issues as yourself.
Is Inpatient Treatment Needed for Meth or Dexamphetamine Recovery?
There are advantages to both in- and out-patient care. Which one is right for you depends on your unique life circumstances and addiction recovery needs.
For serious and ongoing meth or dexamphetamine addiction, in-patient care is usually recommended. Stays can vary in length, but the big advantage is that it allows you to focus only on recovery, with minimal distractions and no temptations.
There are some advantages to out-patient care as well. First, it is less expensive.
Also, by its nature, it is less disruptive to positive aspects of your life, such as employment. Maintaining these can be a valuable tool in recovery.
Keep in mind that, with most meth or dexamphetamine addictions, these things were likely already being disrupted. In-patient care, even for a few weeks, can be worth the cost and time, because it gives you a better shot at recovery.
Find Addiction Recovery Near You
Now that you understand the differences between methamphetamine vs. dexamphetamine, you can have a better understanding of how they impact the body. This includes short- and long-term side effects, as well as withdrawal symptoms. This info will help give you a better understanding of what recovery entails.
At Reflections, we work with only a limited number of clients at a time to address your unique recovery needs through customized treatment plans. Our focus is to address the underlying causes or triggers of addiction. Reach out to us today to learn more or to schedule treatment for meth, dexamphetamine, or other stimulant drugs.
